Anxiety Mounts In Parties As Membership Deadline Triggers Last-Minute Defections, Conventions

Political parties across Nigeria yesterday descended into last-minute registration drives, emergency meetings and frantic coalition talks as the midnight deadline for submission of membership registers to the Independent National Electoral Commission threatened to shut out hundreds of aspirants ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The rush followed the enforcement of provisions of the Electoral Act requiring parties to maintain verified digital membership records and submit updated registers to INEC as part of preparations for the next electoral cycle.

The development sparked tension within several parties, especially among politicians planning defections or awaiting the outcome of ongoing coalition negotiations before formally declaring their political platforms.

The Social Democratic Party and the Nigeria Democratic Congress were among the parties holding crucial conventions and consultations yesterday as the compliance deadline drew closer.

The NDC, currently holding its national convention in Abuja, had in recent weeks conducted ward, local government and zonal congresses across parts of the country as part of efforts to consolidate its structures following its recognition by INEC earlier this year.

The party was formally registered by INEC in February after a Federal High Court order directed the commission to recognise it as a political party, increasing the number of registered political parties in the country to 21.

Similarly, the SDP held strategic consultations and convention activities amid growing interest from politicians seeking alternative platforms ahead of the 2027 elections.

The anxiety within political parties has also been compounded by lingering litigations and leadership disputes, with the SDP among parties battling internal legal challenges over leadership recognition and convention legitimacy ahead of the INEC compliance deadline.

Party offices in Abuja and several state capitals witnessed unusual activities on Saturday, with officials supervising hurried registration exercises, membership validation and documentation processes late into the night as parties struggled to beat the midnight deadline.

Under the Electoral Act, political parties are required to maintain comprehensive membership registers and submit them electronically to INEC within timelines tied to party primaries and candidate nominations.

The law introduced stricter verification measures, including digital records containing photographs, polling unit details and other identification data aimed at reducing disputes over party membership and candidate sponsorship.

Although INEC has yet to publicly disclose how many of the 21 registered political parties have fully submitted updated digital membership registers as of Saturday evening, sources within the commission said several parties were still struggling with compliance and internal verification processes.

The growing tension is further compounded by litigations hanging over a number of political parties, particularly disputes involving party leadership, conventions and candidate nominations.

On INEC’s official portal, some parties are already marked as operating under court orders, underscoring the scale of legal disputes affecting parts of the political system ahead of 2027.

In a document obtained by LEADERSHIP Sunday, Senior lawyer and Ondo State Attorney General, Olukayode Ajulo, warned politicians against delaying decisions on party affiliation until after the submission deadline.

Ajulo stated that, “Your political party tonight is where you stay till 2027,” warning that once political parties submit their digital membership registers to INEC, membership status becomes crucial for candidate eligibility and party sponsorship.

He argued that only individuals captured in registers submitted to INEC would be recognised for the purpose of participating in party primaries and contesting elections under such platforms.

The senior lawyer also warned against dual party membership, insisting that the Electoral Act now explicitly prohibits it and provides penalties for violations.

According to him, “Post-submission defections or switches may render aspirants ineligible and expose parties to disqualification risks.”

He added that the law empowers INEC to regulate party membership for electoral purposes despite constitutional guarantees on freedom of association.

Political analysts said the midnight deadline may significantly reshape alignments ahead of the 2027 elections, as many aspirants who delayed formal defections while awaiting coalition outcomes now face pressure to make final decisions.

INEC had earlier fixed April 23 to May 30, 2026, for party primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections, making the submission of party membership registers one of the earliest major compliance stages in the electoral process.